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Source Reduction and Reuse
R
ecycling, composting and using a pulper system
represent great ways to divert food from landfills.
But what about producing less food in general?
Source reduction and reuse remains at the top of
the EPA's waste management hierarchy, before recycling and
composting, before energy recovery, and finally treatment
and disposal. Operators that want to assess their performance
can start by developing a clear, visual image of how much
food waste they produce on a daily, even hourly basis.
Case Study: Reid Health
For Reid Health, a 207-bed, independent, nonprofit hospital
serving 3,600 meals a day, the waste reality sprung up via its
food donation program.
In the fall of 2016, the hospital began donating leftover
food, pre-consumer from its cafe and catering operation to
local soup kitchens. Items deemed suitable for donations in-
clude entrees and other food stored in hot boxes, but that were
never used. The food bank provides freezers for the hospital,
and staff members transfer the leftover food to disposable pans
and packaging for safe, convenient travel and use.
"It was eye opening because this was the first time that
we really saw how much we were overproducing," says Kris
Ankeny, director of food and nutrition services at Reid
Health in Richmond, Ind. "Before that it was just going
down the garbage disposal. We didn't have a good system for
post-production reporting, and just seeing all the food go to
the food bank, while that is a great thing, made it obvious
that we were producing more food than we needed."
Before taking steps to reduce food production, and ulti-
mately, waste, the food bank would come three times a week.
Now, it comes just once a week.
How Reid Health Reduced
Waste management doesn't happen by one person alone. It
takes a team. Ankeny began the effort by organizing a waste
management team. In addition to herself, that team includes
the central kitchen chef, the head of procurement, the cafe
manager, and some full-time staff members. They continue
to meet weekly to set and review goals. Brainstorming,
collaboration, and best of all, accountability, works.
"We are regularly looking through all of our waste
tracking reports and photos and honing in on areas we can
improve and cut down on our production," says Ankeny.
Next came food waste tracking scales. Reid Health installed
scales fitted with cameras and software for real-time data and
analytics in its central kitchen. As a result, the hospital cut food
waste in half. Ankey reports food waste dropped from $1,400
per week to between $600 and $700 per week. Her ultimate
goal is $500 per week or less.
What once was a three-times-per-week food waste
donation has since become a once-a-week donation.
Moreover, Ankeny says food costs have
dropped 6 percent to 7 percent year
over year.
Operators can invest in any number of
By Amelia Levin
WASTE MANAGEMENT SERIES
Reid Health and MGM Resorts make strides in food waste reduction.
94 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • MARCH 2018
Cooking in smaller
batches has kept over-
production issues at
bay for the Reid Health
culinary team.